This morning (two days late) I completed my sponsored walk at dawn in aid of that brilliant cause, The Samaritans. I have to say doing this after the exhaustion of helping to run a weekend resident…

This morning (two days late) I completed my sponsored walk at dawn in aid of that brilliant cause, The Samaritans. I have to say doing this after the exhaustion of helping to run a weekend residential conference wasn't ideal but I was determined to complete the walk. I would like to say a huge thank you to those who have sponsored me, helping me to exceed my initial target - that doesn't mean it wouldn't be lovely to raise a little more.

We understand what it's like to want to know where you are from, to yearn to solve the mysteries of the past, and to connect with the people whose lives lead to ours. At the SoG we aim to give support...

You really can’t keep a good woman down and today Mistress Agnes is braving the realms of technology to share with you various cures for plagues, agues and noxious wind. This not to be missed…

You really can't keep a good woman down and today Mistress Agnes is braving the realms of technology to share with you various cures for plagues, agues and noxious wind. This not to be missed opportunity to cure all ills comes to you via the Society of Genealogists' All About the Place and Mistress Agnes' offering is just one of many ten minute online talks that are available.

The first five stories from last week's Forgotten Women Friday have now been added. You can read about Roseanna Ashby, Maria Frances Brown, Frances Ann Mallett, Eleanor Farrant Rump and Lydia Rumsby h...

Just before leaving for our recent trip, the oven decided not to work. The minimum call out repair charge wasn’t much less than a new oven, so, on our return, I was all set to invest in a rep…

Day 12 This morning, it is time for the trip I’ve been looking forward to the most. I’ve wanted to go to Ightham Mote for nearly sixty years, since I first read Anya Seton’s Green Darkness in which…

For the past year or so, the A Few Forgotten Women team have been working on a book. This is a multi-authored compilation combining aspects of women's history with case studies. We are very excited to...

Day 10 It is moving on day again, this time to our final site for this trip, just outside Maidstone at Bearstead. This time, I manage to put the right destination in the satnav. It is a tricky one …

Day 8 There’s a light drizzle so we opt for what we expect to be the most indoorsy of the two options left on our itinerary for this part of the trip and head for Walmer Castle. The importance of c…

Day 5 Having already done the activity planned for today, we decide to drive through Brighton to  Shoreham and look at the nature reserve there. We manage to find a very reasonably priced car …

Yes, we’ve been away again, this time to Sussex and Kent. These are both counties I’ve visited before but extended visits were in childhood, so it was time for a return as part of the &…

Another story hits the pages of Granny's Tales. This is one 'From the Other Side'. It involves an enslaver, a maltster and a midshipman who served on HMS Victory during the Napoleonic Wars. This is on...

Looming large, is the Devon Family History Society’s 50th birthday, sell-out, residential conference. My house is now crammed with goody bag items, raffle prizes and other paraphernalia. Ther…

Today was the day that our luck with both the weather and the wifi signal in the van deserted us. Fortunately, the sat-nav had recovered from its hissy fit and was now working, This was just as well as we had to negotiate the city centre and my attempts to download a map were foiled by the demise of the wifi signal.

Occasionally, we are able to bring you stories that stand alone and are not the result of one of our Forgotten Women Friday research days. It is a privilege to share John Smith's careful research into...

It always feels strange posting about trips away when I am safely back home but I don't normally post in real time. This was the day that the sat-nav decided not to work; this was apparently my fault. Never fear, I can do old school with my trusty ordnance survey map. I could locate the day’s National Trust property of choice, in this case Croft Castle, although it was a little difficult to work out on which side of the large estate the entrance lay.

After a resounding early morning thunderstorm, we utilised our National Trust membership as usual and paid a visit to Berrington Hall near Leominster, pronounced Leminster. The rain had died down to an occasional drizzle by the time we arrived. We began by looking at the house. Co-incidentally, one of the volunteers was a former vicar of a parish near home.

Still with an eye on the weather forecast, we decided to go to Goodrich Castle on what was predicted to be the least worst day we had left. As things turned out, after some light drizzle first thing, the day was hot and sunny. Possibly a little too hot to be ideal and certainly humid but we counted this as a win.

Day 1 Another month and another recent short trip away in the pursuit of our aim to stay in every English county. The county of choice this time was Herefordshire. In the hope of dodging the rush hour traffic, I left earlier than I needed to join Chris and the caravan. Dodge the traffic I did but instead I had to cope with blinding early morning sun for much of my journey.

I'm taking part in Dawn Walk for Samaritans

Apart from the delights of the annual invasion of no longer so small folk, life continues to be hectic. Despite saying ‘never again’ numerous times, I find myself in the throes of residential confe…

Apart from the delights of the annual invasion of no longer so small folk, life continues to be hectic. Despite saying ‘never again’ numerous times, I find myself in the throes of residential conference organising once again. A sell-out event to commemorate Devon Family History Society’s 50th anniversary this one. Please can anyone explain why, when I am definitely ticking things off the to do list, it isn’t getting any shorter?